Wrapper with tear tabs of heat-shrinking synthetic resin film

ABSTRACT

A product or article is enclosed in heat-shrinking synthetic resin film having opposite ends which are folded closed to provide tear tabs along the full width of the article. The article in the film is subjected to heat to shrink the film into contact with the article and the folded ends may be subjected to heat to seal them. The tear tabs may include three or more layers of material to give added strength.

United States Patent Fujio WRAPPER WITH TEAR TABS OF HEAT-SHRINKINGSYNTHETIC RESIN FILM Inventor: Masaaki Fujio, 500 Central National BankBuilding, Des Moines, Iowa 50309 Filed: April 1, 1970 Appl. No.: 24,629

U.S. Cl. ..206/46 R, 53/30, 206/45.33, 206/65 5, 229/51 TS, 229/DIG. 12

Int. Cl. ..B65d 85/00, B65d 33/16 Field of Search ..206/46 R, 46 F, 65S, 45.33; 229/51 TS, DIG. 12, 66, 62; 53/39, 30

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Pepitone et al. .....53/30Dreyfus et al ..229/66 Chapman et al. .229/D1G. l2

Gerahty ..53/39 [451 July 25, 1972 Primary Examiner-George E. LowranceAssistant ExaminerStephen Marcus AI!0rney-Zarley, McKee & Thomte 5 7]ABSTRACT A product or article is enclosed in heat-shrinking syntheticresin film having opposite ends which are folded closed to provide teartabs along the full width of the article. The article in the film issubjected to heat to shrink the film into contact with the article andthe folded ends may be subjected to heat to seal them. The tear tabs mayinclude three or more layers of material to give added strength. I

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Patented July 25, 1972 2 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR finsnflk/ fi/J/o 2 M fifc/fu W'W FIG. 4

Patented July 25, 1972 3,679,048

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR F l G. 3

mqsm k/ fi/J/o BY Z M43, mc/4u+/'W ATTORNEYS WRAPPER WITH TEAR TABS OFHEAT-SHRINKING SYNTHETIC RESIN FILM This invention relates to a wrapperformed of synthetic resin film which tends to shrink when heated, andmore specifically to a wrapper of heat-shrinking synthetic resin filmprovided with tear tabs of the same material and which is adapted to betorn open by the tabs.

For protection against staining and moisture and also for aestheticappeal, it has been a widespread practice to wrap products with heatshrinkage film, as of polyethylene, apply heat to the film therebyallowing it to shrink into close contact with its contents, and at thesame time seal the open end or ends by heating. The facilitatesubsequent opening, the film bar or overwrap is usually provided with aperforated line on a suitable part along which it may be torn open.However, each perforation which is originally very small, is made solarge upon the thermal contraction of the film that it can admit air,dirt and dust therethrough into the bag or wrap. Another possibility isthat the bag while being handled may be torn open along the enlargedperforation, at a substantial sacrifice of the display effect.

The present invention pertains to a wrapper which is provided, by simplemeans, with tear tabs which enable the film to be readily torn open,when desired, despite the fact that the wrapper is completely sealedwithout the provision of perforation as in conventional packages.

For a better understanding of the present invention, description willnow be made of the invention in conjunction with an embidiment thereofshown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partly broken perspective view of an embodiment of theinvention.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views illustrating a manner forovcrwrapping a product with a tubular film of heat shrinkage resin; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of a tear tab in amodified form.

The tear-tabbed wrapper according to this invention consists of awrapper 2 of synthetic resin film that covers a product or item 1 andtear tabs 3 provided on suitable parts of the wrap as extensions of filmedges bent and projected outwardly and jointed together to form tabsprotruding from the faces of opposite sides or ends of the resultingpackage.

As shown in FIG. 1, the tear tabs 3 are preferably formed over theentire distances between opposite sides or ends of the package.

The tear tab 3 may be formed during the packing operation of thearticle 1. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the article I is first put into atubular film 2a of heat-shrinking resin, and then, the opening ends ofthe tubular film may be heat-sealed thereby forming the tear tabs 3 ofdesirable height (FIG. 3). Then the whole article is subjected to heatfor shrinking the wrapper film 2a into close contact with the outersurface of the article (FIG. 1). The tear tab may be preformed, as analternative, by heat-sealing an open end of a tubular film for forming abag.

After putting an article into the bag, the mouth of the latter may beheat-sealed thereby forming there a second tear tab. Thereafter, thesealed bag may be heated for shrinking it into close contact with thecontent or the article.

An aperture (not shown) may be formed at a suitable point in the tab 3for providing a small passageway communicating between the interior ofthe wrap and the external atmosphere in order to vent air during theshrinkage of the wrapper film.

For added strength the tear tabs 3 may be formed in three or more layersor thicknesses at suitable parts of the wrap 2. This is realized, forexample, by making an edge 4 of the wrapper film longer than the otheredge 5 and folding the longer edge 5 down beyond the outer side of thematching edge 4, in such a manner as to cover the latter edge. Athree-layer tab is thus formed (FIG. 4).

As stated above, the tabs 3 of the wrapper according to the presentinvention are twice or more as thick as the film of the wrap 2 itself,and protrude from the surface of the film wrap,

substantially at right angles thereto, so that the film wrap 2, whencaught by t e tabs 3 and pulled out, can be readily torn open along theroots of the tabs.

In this sense the roots of the tabs according to the invention areequivalent to the usual perforated lines, and hence no perforation isrequired.

Therefore, the wrapper of the invention not merely permits packaging ofproducts in perfectly sealed state but, in addition, has no suchdrawbacks of ordinary wrappers with perforations that dirt and dustdeposit in the perforations or the wrapper is torn open along theperforations.

Although the tear tabs 3 of the embodiment above described are shown inthe accompanying drawings as formed in the middle parts of opposingfaces of the package, they may be provided on an edge or edges of thepackage as well.

I claim:

1. A wrapper comprising:

a single ply sheet member of heat shrinking material formed into a tubewith opposite open ends, said tube having continuous peripheral openingedges adjacent said opposite ends;

said peripheral edges of each of said opposite ends being closed in fiatfacing relationship and joined together in an air tight seal to form atear tab,

said tear tab being elongated in shape and having a double ply thicknessalong its entire length;

said tear tab extending approximately perpendicularly outwardly withrespect to said sheet member so as to be free for grasping;

said tabs being double ply and the entire remainder of said sheet memberbeing single ply whereby tension applied to said tear tab will causetearing closely adjacent said tear tab.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said tear tab is formed by theperipheral opening edge being folded and laminated to provide threethicknesses of material.

1. A wrapper comprising: a single ply sheet member of heat shrinkingmaterial formed into a tube with opposite open ends, said tube havingcontinuous peripheral opening edges adjacent said opposite ends; saidperipheral edges of each of said opposite ends being closed in flatfacing relationship and joined together in an air tight seal to form atear tab, said tear tab being elongated in shape and having a double plythickness along its entire length; said tear tab extending approximatelyperpendicularly outwardly with respect to said sheet member so as to befree for grasping; said tabs being double ply and the entire remainderof said sheet member being single ply whereby tension applied to saidtear tab will cause tearing closely adjacent said tear tab.
 2. Thestructure of claim 1 wherein said tear tab is formed by the peripheralopening edge being folded and laminated to provide three thicknesses ofmaterial.